- Truth: This statement is straight from the talking points of career politician Gary McDowell's Washington allies and has been proven false. In fact, this has been called the 2011 lie of the year by Politifact.com (Bill Adair, Angie Drobnic Holan, "Lie of the Year 2011: "Republicans voted to end Medicare." Politifact.com Dec. 20, 2011)

Unfortunately for northern Michigan, the president's health care law, supported by Gary McDowell, cuts $716 billion from Medicare, ensuring that the program will be unsustainable in the near future. A recent study from the University of Minnesota, reports that nearly $2 billion of the $716 billion in cuts will come directly from the first district. That is why Dr. Dan is focused on repealing and replacing the health care with patient centered solutions that will actually lower costs for Michigan families.

- Truth: During the candidates debate on Oct. 17, career politician Gary McDowell said he doesn't know how to save Medicare. Dr. Dan supports a bipartisan plan that will save Medicare from going bankrupt, while allowing current seniors to stay on traditional Medicare and allowing those 54 or younger the option of traditional Medicare or a premium support plan. The bipartisan plan would not raise the cost of health care for seniors. (Editorial "The $6,400 Myth" The Wall Street Journal, Aug. 19, 2012)

- Truth: Gary McDowell's claims are factually incorrect. Dr. Dan voted to extend the EAS system multiple times for multiple years. As a lifelong resident of Northern Michigan, Dr. Dan knows how important air service is to Michigan families and businesses and has been fighting to keep our local airports open. (Dr. Benishek Supports House FAA Reauthorization Bill Feb. 3, 2012)

- Truth: As a member of the Great Lakes Task Force, Dr. Dan has never voted to increase pollution in the Great Lakes. Dr. Dan supports initiatives that prevent the Obama Administration's big government regulatory policy from killing good jobs in northern Michigan, like the ones at the Alpena Lafarge Cement Plant. The EPA estimates that the new regulations would cost $2.2 billion to implement would lead to 12 plants closing, a 12 percent drop in domestic production and an increase in the price of cement. The bill that Dr. Dan supported delays the implementation of these job-killing regulations until proper studies have been completed detailing the impact of the rules on jobs. The goal of this vote is to protect the environment while protecting good-paying jobs in northern Michigan. (House Energy and Commerce Committee, "The Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act (H.R. 2681)," Oct. 6, 2011)

- Truth: Gary McDowell has no plan to create jobs in Northern Michigan, that's why he has to resort to false attacks and distortions. Dr. Dan believes that Northern Michiganders have the strongest work ethic in the world. During his "100 in 100" small business tour, he did hear some owners make that claim, but what he heard more is that it is the job-killing health care law, the uncertain tax code and the over-burdensome regulations that are hindering hiring in Northern Michigan.

Former State Rep. McDowell supports the failed big government policies of President Obama and Jennifer Granholm that have caused the long-term unemployment to skyrocket from 2.6 million when Obama first took office to 4.8 million as workers have lost faith in the president's policies and have given up hope in finding a job.

Additionally this same failed economic agenda has caused the unemployment rate to remain above 7.8 percent for the past 44 months. A closer look at the unemployment report reveals the failed McDowell-Obama job policies have lead to a more realistic unemployment rate of 14.7 percent. The result of President Obama's failed economic agenda, which is supported by Gary McDowell, has led to 23 million Americans either being unemployed, underemployed, or have given up looking for work. Northern Michigan cannot afford another career politician like Gary McDowell who is an anti-business rubber stamp vote for the policies that have already failed Michigan, like higher taxes and more government spending. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, accessed Oct. 16, 2012).

Gary McDowell claims to be a farmer; but has been a career politician for 30 years. Even the Michigan Farm Bureau has endorsed Dan Benishek, not Gary McDowell.